18th March 2002 For immediate release GHP PAY CLAIM 2002/03 - SETTLEMENT
18th March 2002
For immediate release
GHP PAY CLAIM 2002/03 - SETTLEMENT
The Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists is pleased to announce settlement of their pay claim for 2002/03 which is summarised as follows:- Increase of 3.6% on all pay points of all pay scales or a minimum of £400 whichever is the greater Increase pay of pre-registration graduates from £11138 to £12900 (i.e. an increase of 15.82%) and application of this rate to all sandwich course students thereby removing separate rates of pay for those in year 2 and year 5 Grade D – addition of one point to the top of grade D (see advance letter for details of assimilation) Grade H – removal of bottom two points of grade H and addition of two new points (£51242 and £52289) at the top of the spine (see advance letter for details of assimilation) Increase in the emergency duty allowance from £2130 to £2297 (this addresses the anomaly created by no uplift in the EDC rate for 2000/01) An increase of 3.6% to the London Allowance (all zones) In commenting on this award the Chairman of the Pharmaceutical Whitley Council Staff Side Ron Pate said "Whilst it is pleasing that this pay award is in line with offers made to PRB groups it is disappointing that further progress could not be made in terms of correcting all the problems created by the 1999/00 pay award (erosion of salary differentials between grades A/B/C/D and grades D+/E/F/G/H). However this settlement is a step in the right direction and should send a positive signal to pre-registration graduates regarding remuneration potential and a future career in hospital pharmacy. In terms of further work we are looking to progress modernisation of hospital pharmacist grading definitions and in particular creation of a consultant pharmacist grade" Secretary of the Staff Side Pharmaceutical Whitley Council Barry Jones added "Though pre-registration salaries still fall far short of those in other sectors a 15.82% increase this year also reflects progress in addressing this issue and we are particularly pleased that we have resolved the anomaly caused by the absence of a nationally agreed uplift to the EDC pay rate in line with salaries in 2000/01. We will be looking for further progress with salaries for all grades of pharmacists covered by the Whitley Council over the coming year with the conclusion of Agenda for Change (Pay modernisation in the NHS)." END